THE INDUCTIVE OR INVERSE METHOD. 285 



against another may often produce flakes, such as are 

 occasionally found on the sea-shore, yet when several 

 flakes are found in close company, and each one bears 

 evidence, not of a single blow only, but of several suc- 

 cessive blows, all conducing to form a symmetrical knife- 

 like form, the probability of a natural and accidental 

 origin becomes incredibly small, and the contrary suppo- 

 sition, that they are the work of intelligent beings, 

 approximately certain \ 



An interesting calculation concerning the probable con- 

 nexion of languages, in which several or many words are 

 similar in sound and meaning, was made by Dr. Young k . 



Application of the Theory of Probabilities in 

 Astronomy. 



The science of astronomy, occupied with the simple 

 relations of distance, magnitude, and motion of the 

 heavenly bodies, admits more easily than almost any 

 other science of interesting conclusions founded on the 

 theory of probability. More than a century ago, in 

 1 767, Michell showed the extreme probability of bonds 

 connecting together systems of stars. He was struck 

 by the unexpected number of fixed stars which have 

 companions close to them. Such a conjunction might 

 happen casually by one star, although possibly at a 

 great distance from the other, happening to lie on the 

 same straight line passing near the earth. But the 

 probabilities are so greatly against such an optical union 

 happening often in the expanse of the heavens, that 

 Michell asserted the existence of a bond between most of 



* Evans' 'Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain.' London, 

 1872 (Longmans). 



k 'Philosophical Transactions,' 1819; Young's 'Works,' vol. ii. pp. 

 15-18. 



